Motorola Mobility reports $80m loss

Motorola Mobility has posted losses of $80 million (£50m) for the fourth quarter of 2011.

The deficit was attributed to below-par sales of its tablet devices, which moved a combined total of 200,000 units.

Motorola reported income of $3.44 billion during Q4 2011, a near identical sum to the same period last year when it earned $3.43 billion. Its full year revenue of $13 billion represented year-on-year gains of $1.5 billion. However, its annual losses rose to $249 million, from $86 million.

Tablet and mobile phone shipments amounted to 10.5 million for the period ending December 30, a decline of 1.3 million compared to the previous year. Its annual total of mobile device shipments hit 42.4 million, rising from 37.3 in 2010.

In terms of sales, Motorola moved 18.7 million smartphones and 1 million tablets last year. A large portion of the former figures has been attributed to the success of the Motorola Razr handset.

"In the fourth quarter, we received very positive consumer response to Motorola Razr, which combined an iconic brand with ultra-thin in an innovative smartphone," said Sanjay Jha, chairman and CEO of Motorola Mobility.

"Our Home business continues to be a leader in the industry's transformation to all IP, with unique solutions that enable rich media experiences across any screen,"

Jha provided a status update on the merger, confirming that it is likely to be completed in the coming months "once all conditions have been satisfied". However, he also warned that "factors outside of the company's control could delay or prevent completion of the transaction altogether".